Whenever you embark upon a landscape design project for your garden, numerous variables come into play. Notwithstanding the many choices you have to make about features and foliage you want to include, there is also the task of choosing a landscaping company to create the landscape design and then construct it, plus there is your budget to consider.
Another important variable is the amount of time it is going to take from the moment you decide to proceed until the entire project is completed. This time must be factored into your planning as it will impact your home, as well as potentially affect your neighbours too given that construction vehicles and machinery might be required, and this could cause some degree of disruption.
Within the time variable, individual factors can all influence how long a landscaping project takes to complete. In this article, we are going to examine seven of these time factors which will dictate how much time your landscaping will require.
Time Factor #1 – Size Of The Garden
The most obvious factor that will influence the time taken to complete a landscaping project is the size of the garden or the area which is being landscaped. For instance, a larger plot is likely to have more landscaping elements, will require more construction work, and even the simple fact that it will take longer to circumnavigate around the plot each day all contribute to making a larger landscape design a longer project than one which takes place within a tiny garden.
Time Factor #2 – Number Of Requested Features And Plants
This is one of the rare instances where you may find a smaller garden taking longer than a larger garden. The reason is if the small garden’s landscape design calls for a far greater number of landscaping features including plants, than a large garden, then it follows that the completion of the former may require more time due to the cumulative effect of installing each item.
Time Factor #3 – Degree Of Difficulty
Any project, including a landscaping project, which encounters more difficulties and hurdles to overcome is going to take longer than one which encounters none. Examples of how this applies during a landscaping project are where there are large slopes within the garden, having to protect a greater number of existing plants, access difficulties, and having to remove debris such as tree roots or rocks, which all add to the time.
Time Factor #4 – Level Of Detail In The Landscape Design
No two landscape designs are identical, and there are also landscape designs that include features that are far more detailed than others. For instance, where you have a basic landscape design that is rustic, the features are likely to be simple and thus take less time to construct and install. However, if we are looking at a Japanese garden or one with a specific theme with lots of detailed features then these will take longer to create.
Time Factor #5 – Planning Requirements
This will be heavily influenced by the planning rules and requirements of your state and city/town council. In some, they are often a simple process and permissions are granted quickly. However, there can be some instances where the process takes longer, especially on large-scale projects with a high amount of construction work as part of the landscape design. Objections from neighbours and other third parties can also delay the process.
Time Factor #6 – Weather
Thankfully, most of the weather we experience is to our advantage and has no negative effect on the time landscape projects take. However, when the weather does turn foul it can do so in dramatic ways and when this happens projects can be delayed considerably. Examples are lightning storms where landscaping workers would not be expected to continue working outdoors, and rain when it is so severe that it floods the garden where the landscape construction is taking place.
Time Factor #7 – Unforeseen Circumstances
This is a catch-all where you might be able to create a list of possibilities as long as this page. These are circumstances that arise that no one was expecting, or could predict, but which delay the project. They can include illness, delays to materials, bereavements, discoveries of something within the garden that stops work such as a broken water pipe, or some legal action that halts the work. Thankfully, they are all extremely rare, but possible.